Flexible driving means



`March 10, 1931.

E.y F. WHITE FLEXIBLE DRIVING MEANS 25, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed Nov.

E. F, WHITE March l0, 1931.

FLEXIBLE DRIVING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 original Filed Nov. 25, 1929 M mm.. A@

uw manna! uw MN ZWA x ol Ol H l l l Patented Mar. 10, 1931 PariiN'rA OFFICE EZEXIEL F. WHITE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT FLEXIBLE DRIVING MEANS origiiiai application filed November 25, 1929, serial No. 409,738. Divided and this application filed :une

' e, 1930. soriai No. 459,607.y

. This invention relates to flexible driving means, kmore particularly, though not eX- clusively, intended for driving a centrifugal element,vsuch as a rotatable body, adapted under high speed to seek its natural center of rotation, one object of the invention being to provide a simple driving mechanism through which a vbody may be rotated at a'.

relatively high speed with'ia minimum of noise, vibration and powerconsumption and with assurance, of long life and durability inl respect to the bearings and other parts subjectto wear. l

The invention as herein described is shown in its application to a liquid fuel, centrifugal burner, but it Will be evident that various applications thereof may be made and uses other than that herein described.

This application is a division of my prior oo-pending application, Serial No. 409,738,

filed November 25, 1929.

The invention will be best understood by 'reference' to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment theref of, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating the centrifugal atomizing element and the driving mechanism therefor, as well as other parts of the burner apparatus which are located in or adjacent the combustion chamber of the boiler or other heater; Y f

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the driving mechanism withy the atomizing cup, its driving spindle `and-the oil feed pipe removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on an enlargedy scale, taken through the bottom of the main driving shaft, showing the provision for circulating the lubricant;

Fig. 4 is a section in plan taken on'the line 4-4inFig-3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the atomizing member looking from beneath and taken on the line 5-.5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged,elevational view of the flexible spring kdriving connection between the main driving shaft and the atomizing spindle Fig. 7 is a detail showing the method of bolting the bearing support to the casing;

and

Fig. 8 is a detail showing in elevation a portion of the triple spring driving connection between the driving shaft and the driven spindle.

Referring to the drawings, I vhave there shown for illustrative purposes one embodiment of the invention applied to a centrifugal liquid fuel burner, the liquid fuel, for the purpose of description, being herein assumed to be oil.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

`burner comprises a centrifugal atomizing vmember designated generally at 11 which 1s located in the combustion chamber of the heater and is driven to rotate at high speed about an upright axis through appropriate gearing by means of a horizontal, relatively low speed, electric motor 13 mounted on the base plate 15. The armature shaft 17 of the motor carries at its end a wormgear 19 located within the casing 21 which is secured to the end of the motor frame, the gear 19 meshing with the worm 23 secured to the upright drive shaft 25.

The drive shaft 25 is mounted to rotate in upper and lower bearings 27 and 29, each of which is inthe formr of a sleeve having ar bled therein, is inserted through an opening in the top of the casing 21 and is secured thereto by the flanged plate 39 which is bolted to the casing by means of the bolts 111 (Fig. 2), the worm being brought into mesh with the teeth of the worm gear.

The holes in the flanged plate 39 through which the bolts 41 pass (see Fig. 7 are of i i larger diameter than the bolts themselves, so

that a certain amount of clearance is left.

YAccordingly, after the apparatus has.v been assembled the plate 39 with the supporting casing can be shifted within a limited .range andthefworinadjustedin anyfdirection withi relationio bthel gear.:Y l'ifto seeuratlie position l of best interengagement. v

Referring to the .driving connections for the' centrifugal atom-mer; the lattenisl pro-v vided with the drivenspindle 5,1y which rotated within the upright casing''by a hereinafter described.` TheJ driven.spindlel rotates in a bearing 55 of substantial length,

,o ere?, ment ofthebeariiithe necessary movel place is located Well below the center of gravity.; l of ftlie atomiziiia eur, .the letteiov in 'the ill,iietiated..y formi off. the iii-redtieiiv iiatinaite. @enten ofgravity in.entre.Yibetitelt.4 tbeiplene oethef bottoni. et tbe-.-.1iereii1eitet deeoribed.-

y Referriiiefnow tothe; drinne; Connect-i011 betneeiiftbe'bniiidie-51 andithedriviiiasiieit 25.5.5(.See1 Eig Position 4oftibet. .ntialz alignment? wit.

tbioiiehf a: yieldebie.. ooiineetioii, Permitting;

they Spindlefandiitebeaiiiislae Certain. free dem; ofi movement.; Se. .-.tbatz tbe etoiiiizer may automatically adjust its centerpof rotation,l

tbeesteet oi Snell;movement-betreuen .beide limite byeitsfrelatiorifte;the dri-ve Shaft Fogtliiepiiinoee thedonejrfeiidiof the Spinl`'idle .ie tapered at..` 6.1.,for al Substantieii die` .tance f. and;` has applied.. thereto a'. oeiled .f een:

meting! spring. 6.3.-,tlief Opposite.. end.. Of; the

springbeing;appliedto a.k smilarlyftanered" y but "closely f Shaft I .Owngfteithesmall .s ea1efottl1'e drawing., a 1 Convention,all showing.. oi; a. single spying., .only-iis. madefinrE-igi l. Y .While a; Single.- 'or 55.,... a double wound?. springgmay .bei employelil that preferably,v employa. triple Woundg Spring,

smallest danietenthereofz; When..asse'mbled,

Tile .Snberiooi Seat' oo, Whieb; theimoiemeot.; eff` the Spindle takes..

tol say,.a. springweund; from.. three separate: pieces;`- of.: spring .YW-.ire .With parallel and; adjaeent.L convolutions, this. preferred form lof isp-ringfbeing show-n in- Figs.A 6j and 8. 'llhefinsidediameter .olfzthe springislpref -eraloly somewhat less` than theigreatest diam eter of the taperedgpor-'tions Oftleshafty and I. l yspindle:l and somewhat; greater thaniythe and with the Yatomizer at rest7 the outer ends of the spring are distended and tightly grip the tapered Aportions of the driving Y and .driven members .for a substantial part of their length, .the intermediate part of thespring retaining itsnorinalfshape. and A diameter and clearing the'. taperedrwalls. The v.direction of the spring winding is such that when the burner is started up the spring ktightens its grip .onbotli theV driving and driyenrnernbers and, under'the'torque of the' Y driving''motor, the open part of the springljr YCloses intend; .iii .Wboleor paradiso. Wraps.

about andfgri'ps the tapered wall. In start# ing* the torqueisfseveral times the vnormal running torque.: .(in; thev disoloeed; .fermi of burnernearlyve times) so thatytlie action of .thefmddle portion: otttbe. spring. is iiret towrap about` or, Close. in on .the tapered'.

walls,V yieldablyj enforcing.- anl alignment of the driving. and drivenlspindles, but to..f,open

upinore or lessfalid release the odioiliina Portions# ofi the. .tapered 'dr-.1vin.3;` and driven.

members-as.y the normal speed is.r eache.d,jal. lowing.- the .atomi/img member: to.. float orseelrAjitsnatural centen of rotation.

'/ncoordingly,l duringthe'st rtingl of .the

' burner and during the time vthee'uplis.underfgoingy acceleration., thief-'Spring iS. teneioiled,

contreetedendielongated: and tends-fte; grip i i theV tapered ends. Y When the; nor-mal speed iS .reaehedrandthe- .St-farting .torquegdfronsoff-,f

the tensionV on the spr.ing;..isfpartlvrelievedg` 'andan-Q latter `tends to shorten. .and-'oben HP nimma u permitaing.f.greateifreedom 0f: lgyration to the spindle;n

In asse`- bling thel'parts,i thetapered ends'` ofy the, two,` members: can be readilyv forced and twisted into engagement rwith-the spring and g the latter` provides an i adequate driving eon.neotoii` between tbe. driving and driven.

'members but-permits thedIfi-Vei spindletoj have the described movementgor adaptation on .its bearing. seat- .57'k when-fit is. driven; at bieb rates ofv-epeed larly in startingupthe vrotation of; the at; olnizer, that. means should be Vprovided foryieldalolyl centering.l the driven spindleor.

drawing it; intolal positionof true. axial alignmentwiththe drivingspindle; V also that some means should lbeprovideolv for` limiting .l

the extent. of themovementof the spindle awayafrom. its positionvof aliginnent.V Otherwise v*vibrationi and lu nnegessarily.` wide and:

uncontrolled rocking. or swaying of' the` atl` omizerand its; spindle result, and if initiated at starting it is apt quickly; to, getY out; ofY controlv with... disastrous. results,4

v'llos this endltheendsof the two shafts `are.

tapered as describedgso- Vas .to provide two` Vtapered alignedseats 'for'.the. spring.- The springpnsprings are therebvmaintained in true axial;y aligninentKunder.j alli conditions and variations of torque. YIn the.case;ofa.

i l110: lt; is desiable at-l-alLtimesj, and particle.`

' er diameterthan the-insidediameter of the spring, reach distended portion of the spring surrounding the shaftis concentric with the shaft but the intermediate portion which surrounds neither shaft is eccentric to the adjoining shafts. yThis creates an unbalthree separate windingsmay be so adjusted and disposed with relation to each other that inl'the case of each tapered shaft the final points of contact between the shaft and the three spring members may be located 120 apart giving a balanced condition and an equal yieldingresistance in all directions and under all conditions.

-To limit the extent of movement of the driven spindle from its aligned position, the

tip of the spindle is reduced in diameter at 67 andfthis reducedy end enters within an opening f69 in the tip of the driving shaft, there beingV provided a small but suflicient Vamountof clearance to permit the necessary movement of the spindle as the atomizer seeks its natural center of rotation at high speeds. Y

In practice itis found that the balancing of the lcup can be so closely approximated in Vits initial construction, that, Yalthough some movement of the driving spindle is necessary to insure perfectly smooth running, such movement may be .so slight that a relatively small clearance in the recess 69 will answer.A

In operation the resilient, triple wound, spring connection, in cooperation with the tapered gripping portions of the two opposed shafts, tends to draw the two shafts yi eldably into concentric or alignedrelation, preserving such relationship when the apparatusv starts into operation and tending at all'times lvieldably to restore such relationship if it is departed from. At the same time it provides -a resilient connection permitting slight displacement of the spindle from an' exactly aligned position and permitting the slight gyratory movement necessitated by the gyrostatic eect of the high-speed, centrifugal atomizing member. The effect of the spring driving connection is also to cushion the shock between the cup and the motor, preventing the effect of irregularities in the driving of the motor from being transmitted to the cup. f

Cil

It will be seen that while the ends of the driving and driven shafts are normallyin a position of substantial alignment, they are separate and relatively movable in a lateral direction, the end of the driving shaft or spindle being'free to move laterally within the limits imposed by the clearance between the spindle tip 67 and the opening 69 in the driving shaft, thereby permitting-the gyratory movement of the spindle about a center ofgyration at the spherical support 57. The spring, however, not only acts as a resilient driving connection between the separate driving and driven shafts, but also as a resilient aligning device, maintaining the spindle in a condition of alignment at the starting up of the burner, tending to maintain such alignment under all varying conditions of torque as the burner is being brought up to speed, and yielding only to afford the gyrations of the spindle which are necessary to permit the rotation of the cup about its natural center of rotation.

It will be observed also that in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the driving spindle and cup are not axially fixed but are supported by the spring and free to move axially with relation to the journal bearing 55 andidriving shaft 25 to permit, without constraint, the natural contraction and elongation of the spring as the torque is applied thereto or relieved therefrom.

Referring to the construction of the centrifugal atomizing cup, thel latter is herein provided with a head 71 which projects into the combustion chamber, the head being of substantial mass and preferably constructed of a nonferrous metal, such as aluminum or brass, to provide a good conductor of heat.

Depending from the head and secured thereto is an annular oil receiving cup 73 having a trough-like bottom 75 in which the oil is adapted to be delivered by means of the stationary delivery pipe 77 entering through the annular opening in the bottom of the cup between the rim thereof and the casing 53. The sides of the cup are flared slightly upwardly and outwardly, so that when the atomizer is rotated the oil delivered to the'trough 75 passes in the form of a thin film up the side of the cup and through a slot 79 formed between the sides of the cup and the edges of the head 71. The head is beveled or undercut at 81 to provide an escape for the. oil, there being left, however, a series of radial ribs 83 (see Fig. 5) through Vwhich the cup is fastened to the head by lio 'ini auyvsaitahle mannen Herein; theabottom. i otl .the .combustionhamber iS. for-.m

' thiefplate 89, Suiaportedionthe base', 1.5.-. by.

POSJSS 9.1i (Ose i @five-ith onlyis Shown) andi Y Wall 9 their ,supported an air control cas- I liver air immediately. beneath and around the atomizing-element Theaircontrolcasing isy .Carrying firewall 93de the-format mruning-fhaving an annulan air, admission pas sa'ge, about-the vupright cas/ing 58 fort the atomizing cup spindle and adapted to dealsoprovided-With aplurality of additional airg supply, openings 979, the available. area ,ofi Whih .mayr be Y regulated by meansA ot an "adjustable damper ringy lOlVY so that" additional air-l may be, admitted frein beneath lthe.plate SQthrQuglrthe-air space 103 .and the, airo-penings 99;. VAibove the air' control plate lOyvhichrests on the. casing` by means of several radial ribs 107v and vserves to deflectthe i air. enter-,ing n through the openings 99so thatgitpasses into the combustion .cham-` Hectorf plate and in jplart .throughv the central openingf N91-.inthe deilector plate, VWhere it'j commingles .'With' the l centrally. le d f air andpa'sses in, ,and .about the atomizing m emf ber.-

v oilto the atomizing cup .or controllinand rgulatinggtheoil feedinresponsel to the` refl quirenientsof the. burnerfas vvellascontrol-y these/I aref Wcll'knovvn no .attempt is ,made .to illustrate; the., saine. .The oilis .herein sup-1 ,plieldto.thepipe through the connection $111. and inlet.` passagey llbyv Vmeansjot.'any

suitable feedingvv devices.y

llirthe: operation of theburner, thecen-v tri'fugal.atomizingelement-operatingatv high speedquicllylindsits lnatural center of ro-f tion 1 is immediately corrected by.y the, movef *ment-ot.V the` spindle axis, lthe bearingadapting. itself tol `this, condition by; a slight? movementonits ball seat 57 and .the resilient; connectionE betweenv the ydrivin shaft 1 and the. spindle.. permitting thisv movement. of' adaptation to readily. takelplace..C Unnaturalor, unnecessaryoscillations. of vthe vcup splin-l dleLhowever, are prevented by the relationf shaft, theplay between-thesetW-o members,

' e0.Y VVcentri,tug-Aal rmemberfhas been brought. up yto however, beingsuiicientto permit; all neces-v sary.y movements of adaptation.L Whenthe speed it runs smoothlyand noiselesslywin.` its bearings, operating in similarity to .the spinhinsiaetea f a.foiefaidthesrindle and Shaft f'vvillirunfwithaJninimum-ot bearing Wear.Y

casinge there.- alsoy provided a deflelctor,v

ber in ,part about the outer edges of theele- -Any of the usualmetho'dsof feeding the tation; *,'Any slight divergence. of the axis off the.; spindle'. 5l..v from its', required posier ship ofthereduced end 167V; of the driving. spindle. tothe. recessed; end of the drivingl Preferably .theldrivingymechanism. herein, 1. i

including'alsothemotQn--slresilentlrmaant:' ed, therebeingprovidedforA thi'sfpurpoV fourespringsgl-l55.,117, 1?19fandil2l': (lli each seatedin Iasoclet 11T.

bas@ Plate. Maud .sureertnafthente 'and' casing. 21` .by means. of. studs..125j, prefer,.alely,

threaded into the bettom of themotoir-traine1 and casing respectively, so,fasgtogbe;capable of adjustment."4 VVhenthe apparatusjsgas,

sembled7 the studs. are vadj usted 5tol securi-l the; best possible vertical. alignment ofgthel drive ing shaft. VDuring the-operation theyl provide aresilientsupportfurthe ientiredriving.

mechanism. l Y Y i rllo assure lubricationv for thedrlvlng mechanism, the bottomoithe-casingl,fQmS a jV Well-in which there is.maintainedgaoluantityA of lubricating` V oil, the bottom lof the-support,-

ingvcasing 35 being'immersed-in thel'lubrCfll'i andthe .rotationof the driving 'sha-ft. Serv@ in Orto' circulate rthis oil ythroughthe-bearings and other parts.

Eer this `purpose it'iyvillbe'vseen that .the

bearing. supportfor the drive Shafta termi- `hates short of the bottomolv thecasingfso that the oil has access to it. vInftheibottorn'.

ofthe casing 35there isl providedx anpoil chamber- 127V (Figs. 3 and 4) f surroundingthe bottom ofthe drive shaftv 25;thelouverend kot Which is vtormed'- With four,rzidialzslots-V 129.v The bottom offthe. casinggisclosedby a plate' 131 havinga central dpeningfl, the

platel being coveredby 'agauzescreen'l lgretained byr a` holding; plateV 1 37.. .The slotted lower end of the drive shaftlacts( asA acen,- trifugal pump7 drawing the oil in threugh the-central opening 133,7dischargingfit radially into-the oil chamber 1271- a-ndfthence through the discharge passage*139byI vvhficli it vis carried up through the bearingfsupportf 851 and through registering;passage 1411 (Fig, Y1') in thecasing 53, beingfdelivered be.-L tWeen .the spindle 51V andi the spindle bearing` 55 aboutfthe pin 59. The priming and loperation othisfpump are assisted byf aV VbaiiieY Wall which is in theformlotapin143' (Fig. 3i) located in the .oil ,chamber tofdivertiy the oil int-o the-passage 139.

Y The upper end f. of. the* bearing.- 55 is suryrounded by a thimble 145 secured to thespindle to prevent;y the escape-of;lubricatingoil; yinto the cup about the spindleyandthetop Yot therasing-isalso protected .by asmall Vshield le? secured thereto also to prevent the'- 'escape of. lubricant and to `preclude lthe ypos-4 sibility of fueloil gettingintothe lubri-fv catingpoil. The ylubricatng oil accumulating-in-thefupper Vpart of the casing` 53- isdrainedthrough an oil grooveelfll. formedv in the bear-ingsleeve 55 and, togetlieriV with y the oil gyra-vitatingy from.the spindle, passes` down Within the kcasing between the drive shaft 25 and its bearings, the excessoilbeing 7 discharged through i the V groove 151 into thel casing and onto the worm wheel 19. During the operation of the burner, therefore, there is a constant circulation of the lubricating oil from the casing to the bearings of the spindle, thence to the bearings of the drive shaft, the worm and the worm wheel.

While I have herein shown and described for the purpose of illustration one specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that extensive devia-tions may be made therefrom and widely different relationship of the various parts described may be had, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims:

1. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driving anda driven shaft therefor presenting adjacent ends normally aligned but free for relative lateral movement, and a resilient driving and aligning connection between the shafts comprising a coiled spring .having av plurality of separate parallel windings in gripping engagement with thc outer walls of said adjacent ends, thereby to provide a yielding resistance to the movement of the driven shaft away from a position of axial alignment substantially uniform in all directions.

2. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of adriving and driven shaft therefor normally aligned and having adjacent ends tapered for a substantial distance, and a resilient driving connection between the shafts comprising a triple wound, coiled spring in engagement with the tapered ends, the windings of said spring being so related to each other and to the shafts as to provide a yielding resistance to the movement of the driven shaft away from the position of axial alinement substantially uniform in all directions.

3. The combination'with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driving and a driven shaft therefor, said shafts having tapered ends in closely aligned relationship, and a driving connection between the shafts comprising a coiled spring gripping said tapered portions, the spring when unstressed beingof lesser inside diameter than the larger portions of said tapered ends and of greater inside diameter than the smaller portions of said tapered ends, the coils of said spring between points of engagement 'with said shafts being coaxial with the axes of the shafts whereby to yieldingly resist movement of the driven shaft out of axial alinement with said driving shaft.

4. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driving and a driven shaft therefor nor- .mally, axially aligned, the adjacent ends of saidshaft being tapered, and a driving connection between the driving shaft and driven shaft comprising a coiled spring having a plurality of separate parallel windings in gripping engagement with the outer walls of said adjacent ends, the windings of said spring being so related to each other and to the shafts as to provide a. yielding resistance to the movement of the driven shaft away from the position of axial alinement substantially uniform in all directions.

5. The combination with a rotatable body, of a spindle connected to drive the body, a journal bearing for the spindle movable to permit gyratory movement of the spindle axis, a driving shaft normally aligned therewith, the end of said spindle being movable laterally with relation to the end of the driving shaft, a resilient driving and aligning conneet-ion between the spindle and shaft comprising a coiled spring engaging and connecting the adjacent ends of the spindle and shaft, and means to limit the movement of the spindle axis comprising interengaging members carried by the spindle and shaft respectively.

6. The combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft presenting opposed tapered vends in approximate alignment, of a resilient driving connection between the shaft-s comprising a triple wound, coiled spring in engagement with the tapered ends, the windings of said spring being so related to each vother and to the shafts as to provide a yielding resistance to the movement of the driven shaft away from the position of axial alinement substantially uniform in all directions.

7. The combination with a driving and driven shaft presenting opposed tapered ends in approximate alignment, of a resilient driving connection between the shafts comprising a coiled spring gripping said tapered portions, the spring when unstressed being of lesser inside diameter than the larger portions of said tapered ends and of greater inside diameter than the smaller portions of said tapered ends, the coils of said spring between points of engagement with said shafts being coaxial with the axes of the shafts whereby to yieldingly resist movement ofthe driven shaft-out of axial alinement with said driving shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EZEKIEL F. WHITE. 

